Herpes Update

Asymptomatic HSV-2 carriers can transmit genital herpes, study finds. The NPR "Shots" blog (4/12) reported, "Researchers at the University of Washington have found just how easily people infected with herpes simplex type 2 virus, which causes genital herpes, can unknowingly pass it on to other people." According to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, participants who tested positive for herpes simplex virus type 2 used a swab to collect 'genital secretions' each for 30 consecutive days and kept symptom diaries. The researchers found that "410 people with symptomatic genital herpes and 88 participants who tested positive for infection," showed no symptoms. The Time (4/12, Melnick) "Healthland" blog noted that on average, the researchers found those "who had had past herpes outbreaks were infectious 20.1% of the time, while the asymptomatic group was found to be able to transmit the virus 10.2% of time." According to the Los Angeles Times (4/12, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog, the analysis, "one of the largest studies to date" of people tested positive for herpes simplex virus type 2, also found that virus presence was detected "at least once in 83.4% of the people with symptomatic infection and in 68.2% of people with asymptomatic herpes." The authors say the study shows that even people with asymptomatic herpes type 2 "can transmit it to a sexual partner."